Folding bed.



PATENTED SEPT. 11

G. HENKBL. FOLDING BED. APPLIGATION FILED JAN. 22, 1906.

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PATENTED SEPT. 11, 1906.

G. HENKEL. FOLDING BED.

APPLIGATION FILED JAN. 22, 1906.

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. GEORGE HENKEL, OF PARIS, TEXAS, A'SSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO KATE NICHOLS, OF' ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

FOLDING BED.

Specification of Letters Patentv Patented Sept; 11, 1906;

Application filed January 22. 1906.- SeriaLNo. 297.336.

Ta ia whom it may concern.-

Beitknown that I, GEORGE HENKEL, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Paris, in the countyof Lamar and State ofTexas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Beds; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description ofthe invention, such as will enable others-t0 make and usethe same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, forminga part of this specification.

The invention has for its object primarily a folding bed in which the side supports are extensible, and, second, to provide a folding side member for the head and foot posts of oridnarybeds.

The invention consists inthe novelconstruction and combination of parts, such as will be first fully described and then specifically pointed out in the claims.

In thedrawings, Figure 1 .is an isometrical view of the improved .folding bed, showing the folding parts in an extended oropen position. Fig. 2 is a sideview of the invention, showing the folding parts in a closed position. Fig. 3 is a detail view in perspective of the transverse fabric-stretching bar for supporting one end of the bed fabric, showing the devicesfor imparting tension to the fabric. Fig.4 is a detail broken perspective view of one end of the. transverse fabric supporting and stretching bar. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the bar-carrying arm on the rock-shaft. Figs. (Sand 7 are plan and side views, respectively, of .theupper adjustable connecting devices for the folding parts of the-bed and the head and foot supports, and Fig. 8 is a perspective View of the lower connecting devices for the folding parts. Fig. 9 is a view in elevation of the inner portion of a wardrobe bed-stand, showing the invention applied thereto.

Similar numerals of referenceindicate cor responding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

Referring, to the drawings, 10- lOindicate separate-vertical corner-posts of the requisite height and, as shown, are cylindrical in form,

and upon theupper ends areenlargements orcaps 12,. andv upon thelower'ends are theenlargernents orknobs 13. The postslO relatively are at the headof the bed and, as-

shown, are mounted on the casters 14. 15

.1 5 indicate the separate vertical corner-posts, which are-located relatively at the foot of the bed and, as shown in the drawings, are nearly ofthe heightofthe corner-posts 10 and of like construction and mounted on casters 17.

Upon the inner side of each of the cornerposts 10 and 15 are arranged in a vertical position the angle-bars 18, which extend in height from a position opposite the foot enlargement of each postupwardly nearly to the enlargement at the upper end of the'corher-posts, and in one side of the angle-bars, which are arranged outwardly and tangentially to the posts, are longitudinal slots 19, which extend from a point on the angle-bar the proper height of a bed-bottom above the floor upwardly nearly the length of said angle bars. The attachments for'these angle-bars to the posts at their upper ends consistof semicircular clamping-arms 20, as seen in Figs. 6 and 7. The inner ends of the arms are securedto a longitudinally-slotted arm 21, which extends outwardly from the outer surface of the angle-bar 18 in the direction: of the corner-posts. Through the said inner 'ends of the clamping-arms 20 and the slot in the outwardly-extended arm 21 extends a screw-threaded clamping-bolt 22, upon the end of which is a thumb-nut 23, by means of which the arms-20 are clamped to th-e'posts.

The lower portions of the angle-plates are secured to the posts 10 and 15 by thelocking devices 24, which consist of the annular plate 25, as seen in Fig. 8, which extends around and is secured firmly to the posts and is-provided with a vertically-grooved projection 26, thesides of the groove being inclined downwardly and inwardly. 27 indicates the locking-lug on the angle-bar 18, which isfitted within the grooved projection 26.

With the angle-bars 18 on each of the corner-posts 10 at one end of the bed are con= nected the outer ends of crossed levers 28 and 29. These levers consist of narrow channelangle-bars 18, the channel in the side of the bars being toward each'other. The upper ends of the channel bars 29 are located opposite the slots 19 and are also upon the innersurfaces of'the slotted portion of the angle-bar, the

channel portion of the bars being toward said portions of the bar. The outer ends of these bars 29-are connected by a transverse connecting-bar 30, the channel portions of which bar are directed forwardly and inwardly. Through the outerends of the bars 29 extend pivots31, which also extend through and are movable in the slots 19 in the angle-bars 18, and upon the outer ends of the pivots are secured the circular flat plates 32. These levers 28 and 29 cross each other at a point equidistant from their respective ends and are pivotally connected together by the pivots 32. With the vertical angle-bar 18 on the corner- ,posts 15 15 for the foot of the bed are connected the outer ends of the crossed levers 33 and'34, which are precisely the same in construction as thelevers 28 and 29 and are pivoted together and to the lower inner surface of the vertical angle-bar 18 and in the slot 19, respectively, in like manner. The outer ends of the bars 34 are connected together by a. connecting-rod 35, which is firmly connected with said bars. The inner ends of the bars or levers 33 are pivotally connected with the inner ends of the bars 28, and the inner ends of thebars 34 are pivotally connected with the inner ends of the bars 29. These bars or levers form the sides to the bed and are adapted to fold together and when fully extended. afford the proper length for use.

Through the side bars 29, at a point a short distance inwardly from the transverse bar 30, extends the ends of a rock-shaft 36, the portion of said shaft between the said bars being flat, as seen in Fig. 3, and the ends ofsaid shaft is splined at 37 to receive the socket of a crank 38, which socket is grooved at 39 to receive the spline 37 Upon the rock-shaft 36,

close to the inner surface of the bars 29, are

the radial arms 40, which extend a short distance in the direction of the transverse bar when secured in position. The arms 40 at their inner ends are connected with sleeves 41, which extend around the shaft, and through the sleeve and shaft extend the pins 42, as seen in Fig. 8. The outer ends of the arms 40 are downwardly and rearwardly inclined, as at 43.

Between the arms 40 is a fabric tightening and connecting plate 44, end portions 45 of which plate are bent at right angles and extended downwardly a short distance and perforated at 46 upon the line of the axis of said bent portions 45. With the rear vertical edges of the said bent portions 45 are connected rigidly the ends of a connecting-plate 46, the upper longitudinal edge of which plate 46 is connected rigidly with the lower surface of the plate'44. (See Fig. 4.) Through the arms 40, at a point about midway from the sleeve 41 to the outer end of said arm extends the pivots or pins 47, the ends of which pins extend within the perforations 46 in the ends 45 of plate 44. To the inner surfaces of the side bars 29, a short distance forwardly of the transverse bar 30, are catches 48, pivoted to said bars below the. catch, said catches being provided with an enlarged gravitating portion 49 and engaging with the inclined ends of the arms 40 on the rock-shaft 36.

The wire fabric 50, forming the bed-bottom, is connected at end with the rod on the folding bars 34, the forward loose end being inserted in the perforations 51 in the forward portion of the plate 44. As seen in Fig. 1, the position of the plate 44 is forward of the rock-shaft and the arms released from the catches 48, in which position the tension upon the bed-bottom fabric is slackened. The bars 28 29 and 33 and 34, forming the siderail supports to the head and foot posts, respectively, are also extended in length, the pivots 31 connecting the bars with the vertical angle-bars being at the lower ends of the vertical slots, and in this position the bars give rigidity to the posts 10 and 15, the

weight of the bars exerting a direct pressure in opposite directions upon said'corner posts. Upon the extension of the bars, as heretofore described, the crank 38 is connected with the end of the rock-shaft 36, and a partial rotation is given thereto, in which movement the arms and the plate 44 are raised from the position as seen in Fig. 1 and also in dotted lines in Fig. 2 and are moved in the arc of a circle into the position as seen in'full lines in Fig. 2, in which movement the plate 44 maintains a horizontal position drawing upon the end of the bed-bottom fabric and imparting tension thereto. movement of the arms 40 the inclined ends 43 contact with the catches 48, which automatically engage with the upper surface of said arms and retain said arms from upward movement.

In'folding the pivoted bars supporting: the corner-posts from the position as seen in Fig. 1 to the position as seen in Fig. 2 the catches 48 are released from engagement with the arms 40 and the plate 44 is moved under the tension of the bed-bottom fabric directly upward, the ends 45 moving on pivots or pins 47 on arms 40 and thence forwardly and downwardly to the position as seen in Fig. 1, thus slackening the bed-bot-' tom fabric. The pivoted ends of the bars 29 1 and 34 are moved upwardly in the slots 19 in the vertical angle-bars 18, in which movement the corner-posts 15 are moved simul' made in the vertical sides 53 of the wardrobe 54, in which the ends of the levers are pivotally connected, and also to the lower end portion of said ends, the illustration showing 2 Upon the rearward .125 upward movement of the lever arms is the inner ends of the arms or cross-levers, it being understood thatthe connection of the outer ends of the leversicorresponding to the bars or levers 33 and 34 in Fig. 1 are to be made with the footboard of similar construction to that seen in Fig. 9, which will extend within the sides 53 of said wardrobe bed-stand.

It is obvious that the means of attachment of the vertical angle-bars to the posts may be .have been employed for the ends of the fold ing bars.

In my invention I employ a slotted bar on the corner-posts connecting with both upper and lower portions of the posts, and in folding the bars in my invention they extend upwardly nearly the same height as the slotted bars on the corner-posts and support when folded both upper end portions of the posts in vertical positions. In other words, the crossed bars or levers on my invention perform the parts of folding, unfolding, and permitting of the folding of the mattress and its support without the aid of other contrivances. Thus with the pivoted cross-bars I obtain, first, a rectilinear movement and an up-and-down movement in the slots of the bars in the corner-posts which carries upwardly and folds both ends of the bed-bottom and of the mattress at the upper ends of the vertical slotted bars, and, second, it keeps the head and foot boards in an upright position.

In the patent to Morse, No. 490,832, January 31, 1893, the mattress-support is raised in the center, and also the mattress with the ends downward. In my invention the center of the bed-bottom and mattress drops down and the ends go up, elevating the ends of the folding mattress support onthe cornerposts, the slotted barsat both ends of the bed being of the same height, or nearly so, the invention being the simplest, most practical, and easiest manipulated.

Such modifications of the invention may be employed as are within the scope of the invention.

Having fully described my invention,

what I now claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. .In a folding bed corner-posts at each end of the bed and vertical side su portingbars connected with the respective upper .and lower portions of said posts, and sidemembers comprising pivoted folding bars having the lower outer ends pivoted to the lower ends of said bars and sliding connecting devices connecting the upper outer ends of said bars with the vertical supporting-bars and movable the length of said bars in combination with a folding bed-bottom and suspensory means on the upwardly-movable end of said side bars for supporting, elevating and folding the ends of the bed-bottom together.

2. In a folding bed the combination with the corner-posts and vertically-arranged supporting-bars connected with both upper and lower portions of said posts of side members comprising pivoted folding bars in pairs, the lower outer ends of said folding bars being pivotally connected with the lower end portionsof the said vertical supporting-bars on said corner-posts and sliding connecting de vices connecting the upper outer ends of said pivoted bars with said vertical supportingbars and movable to the upper ends of said bars and a folding bed-bottom connected at its ends with the upwardly-movable ends of the said pivoted folding bars, said ends of the bed-bottom moving upwardly and folding at the upper ends of the vertical supporting-bars.

3. In a folding bed the combination with the corner-posts and the vertical supportingbars on said post, having slots extending the length of said bars and with devices connecting said bars with both upper and lower portions of said posts of side members comprising pivoted folding bars in pairs, the lower outer ends of the pairs of bars being pivotally connected with the lower end portions of the said slotted supporting-bars on said cornerposts and sliding connecting devices connected with the upper outer ends of said folding bars extending within said slots and movable to the upper ends of said slotted bars and a folding bed-bottom connected at its ends with the upwardly-movable ends of the said folding bars and said ends moving upwardly and folding at the upper ends of the slotted bars on the corner-posts.

GEORGE HENKEL.

Witnesses:

Jon ALLEN, R. R. BAKER. 

